C-M girls’top runner back; boys fielding team

The Colfax-Mingo cross country team returns this fall with some promising distance runners looking to make the leap, possibly all the way to the state level.

In 2012, sophomore Tigerhawk runner Kennedi Hostetter put together a terrific fall campaign. Hostetter’s season included a top-10 finish in the 4,000-meter run at the Lake Keomah Invitational, with a time of 17 minutes, 56 seconds. Her time of 17:56.92 was good for 31st at the Heart of Iowa Conference Championships, and she represented the navy and orange proudly at the Class 1A regional meet at Marshalltown, where she ran a 18th place time of 17:28.00.

She spent this past spring running for the Tigerhawks’ track team in the 1,500 and the 3,000. She had a solid season, placing ninth in the 1,500 and fifth in the 3,000 at the Class 2A District Championships in May.

Now a junior, Hostetter will look to improve on her times from last year, and her coach, Zach Tomas, seems to think she has what it takes to break through to the next level.

“Kennedi is probably out most talented runner. She is certainly our most decorated,” Tomas said. “She had a really good season on the track this past spring, and her 2012 season for us was great. We’re happy to have her back”

Hostetter will head a group of strong C-M girls, and the Tigerhawks’ distance crew looks promising in 2013.

There were no boys on the cross country team last season, but that is changing this year. A team with six total runners last year has the potential to nearly triple in size.

“We had six girls last year, but this year it looks like we’re going to have anywhere from 10 to 15 potential runners,” Tomas said. “We only had one middle schooler on the boys team, but two-time state wrestler Jimmy Abell will be running for us this season, along with some seniors who have never run before. I’m proud of how the program is growing.”

Tomas credits much of the growth of the program to senior Carley Hodgson. Hodgson was a swimmer for two years, but she switched over to cross country last season, and Tomas believes her personality has helped some students become more comfortable with the program.

“I think that Carley is such a positive person. People see how much she likes it, and that has been a huge recruiter for us. For the seniors, I think they see their time here winding down, and they’re looking for opportunities to do something with their friends,” Tomas said.